, ' ~~enuin6 ~bsentee voting l~ws .

I I J t:tlluury ~5 , 1944

Hono~·t.ble ~·orrost C . .vonnell Governor of Hi s soux·i J dl'forson Ci t y , •i s souri

Dear Governor vonnell :

FILE D

o?

Under uute of J anuary ~1, 1g44 , you wrote this o~tice request ino an opinion, tiS follows:

"Your opinion i s hereby rospeotf ully re­quested on each or the f ollowi ne ques­tions:

" ( .,;! ) \/ha t chanc5es , if any , should be made in the l aw of 11i ssouri in order th!tt absentee ballots for the primary eleotion may be SCfit ut l east f orty-f ive days pri or t o sai d pri mar y election to qualif i ed electors of ~ssouri who are sorvinb in the urmed f orces 0 1' the Uni tea ...,tates'?

" (b) ''hut clu:tneea , if any , should be mud e i n t.ne l u\1 ot .issouri in order tht...t absentee ballots .l'or t ue t.enerul elt:Jotion wuy oe sent ~t letlst torty-£ive uays pr ior t o s&iu ~enerul election to ~ualif ied elootors of d i ueouri ' ho ure se1·vin~ in · tile urmea forces of the Uni teu States'( "

In oruer tht~.t the reusons tor our conclusion will IllO.l·e reuuily uppear , the statutes pertinent to you~ question will be set out. These statutes ar e as f ollows:

oeotion 11470 , ~ . d . ~o . 19 ~~ . us ahl~ndeu by the 62nd Generul ""ase.cubly, Laws of lg4.) , Pttbe 5i7, uuthor izes the vot -

I

•

Honor able Forrest 0 . Donnell - 2-

1ng or an absentee ballot by per s ona who ure out ot the a~~te by reason of military or nuval service:

"AnY person bein& a duly qualified elec­tor of the State ot Missouri, who ex­pects t o be absent from the county in which he is a qu~lified elector, but within the state, on tl>e day or holding any special, general or primary election at which any presidential preference is inaicated or any candidates are chosen or elected, for any congressional, state, district, county , town, city, village, precinct or juaicial ottices, or at which questions ot public policy are submitted, or any qualitiea elector absent from the state on military or naval service and who may on the occUL~rence of any such election be abs ent f rom his voting pre­cinct because his duties require hi m to be without the state on t he day or suoh election may vote at such election as hereinafter provided. Proviaed, however, any voter who votes both by absentee bal­lot and i~ person at any election shall be guilty of a misdemeanor ."

Section ll~78a, Laws ot 194~, puge 524, also provides authority f or casting absentee ballots by such persons:

"AJJ.y person being a duly qualified elec­tor of the St ate of ~issouri who expects to be absent f rom t he State or ~ souri by virt ue of the fact tila.t suoh person ia a member of any of the various branches of t he armed services of the United States aa same muy be definea by the Executive De­partments of the Uniteu St ates ot America , and who is so absent ou the day ot holding any special, gonernl or primary election at which any candidates are chosen or elected tor any congressional , state , district,

Honor~ble For rest 0 . Donnell -a- January 25, 1944

county, town, city, village, precinct or juo.icia.J. off' ioe or at \tllich questions of public policy are submitted may vote at such election as hereinafter provided , regardless of wnether or not said elec­tor has oo~plied with the provisions of any law• requiring the regist~ation ot votera.» ·

Section ll478b, Laws of 1943, page 524, requires ap­plication to be made not more t han thirty daya nor less than two days before the election:

"Upon the request o:t' such person in writ­ing, by lette1,. or otherwise, made not more t Jtan t hirty nor leas than two daya prior to the dute of such election to the county clerk or board of election commissioners, if any, or other official charged herein w1 th the duty of furnishing ballots to such applicants • hereinafter rel'erred to as an elootion offici a l stating that dt the time or such request he is a duly qualif ied elector of the State ot Missouri and rea­sonably expects at the time of such elec­tion to be absent trou t he State of Mis­souri or trou the United States on the aay of such election due to the fact t hat suoh person ia in tho armed se1·vioes of the United States, suoh election otricial ahall promptly append the name ot suoh person to the list of applicants for absentee ballots i n the manner and rorm provided for by s ec­tion 11472, Revised Statutes ot ~issouri, 19J9, anu such election official shall pro1nptly IIU:lil to suoh person absentee bal­lot i n the form and manner herei nafter pro­vided: Provided further that written ap­plication ror the mailing or absentee bal­lot to suoh person in the armed services of the United s t ates may be made upon affidavit submitted by t he rather, hlother or spouae of such person, in \ihich case application and

Honorable I!' orr est C. Donnell - 4- cTunue.ry 2:5 , 1944

ijff1dav1t of the father , uother or spouse so a»p~ylng ana~~ oon~aln a •~a~e­ment as to the military statua or the person in the armed ser vioes for whoa ap­plication is being made , his last known addresa ~d shall reoito that no other similar upplioation is being made on be­half of suoh person to the best or ·atti­ant•s information ~d belief. When suoh request is made in oonneotion with a pri­mary election, b~llots tor each political party wil l be maileu with instruotiona ~hat voter ahall vote one ballot and re­turn the remaining unvoted ballot . In the event ~ore than one request or application tor absentee ballot for suoh person or vot­e~ in the armed ser vioes should bo reoeived by the election ofticiul above referred to, an absentee ballot shall be mailed to suoh poracn in the armed services only upon and in rol~tion to the firat request or appli­oat1on made or received."

• "Suoh person or applioant ballot and make attidavit rel 8li1. aeotion, regarcUeaa or th auoh paraon or applicant might n~ "time be within the territorial 11nu. the state ot !1aaour1 or ot the Unit~ Statea. ••

' By seotion 11•12, R. s . a. li2i, as amended, La•~ li•a, pagea 587-6, "ott1o1a1 absentee ballota" are requir~ to be printed at leaat thirty 4ara before the eleotionr

" pplioation tor auoh ballot may be made on a blank to be turn1ahed by the oowatT olark or the board or eleotion oa..iaaion­era or other ott1oer or ott1oera ohar&e4

Honorable Forrest c. Donnell - 5- January 2b, 1944

with t he duty of furnishing ballots as arorosni d , or m.uy be .maue i n writing by rlrat cla ss mail auuressed to ~uoh of­ficer or board duly executed by the s~id applicant. ~edintely upon r eceipt ot such applicat ion within the time and in t he manner provideu by this articl e , t he county olerks or the county , or the board of election co.lll.L:dsaioners • it any , or othor official charged herein with the duty or f urnishi ng ballots to such appli­cants, shall make a list or the names or such &bsont voters whose applications tor ballots have been received, und shall oauso such list to be immediately posted in ~ conspicuous plnce ucoossible to the public ut the entrance of the orrioe or such off icer or off icers which list shhll sho,, &lao the postot1'ice ttddress, street addres s , w~rd or yreci nct nuubcr ~iTeu by auch applicant . ~uoh list ahull be sup­plemented daily by t he addition thereto ot t he names , ~ddreases , dLQ precinct numbers ot those the~·eafter l:iEIJcine. appl.ication for such ball.ots ~s by this article authoriza~ : Provided , that no county clerk , board or eleotlon oo~umissioners or other proper ot­fioial charged with the duty of furnishing such ballots a.t'ter examination ot' the r c­ords , or otherwise ascertuininu the ri&ht ot such person to vote at uuch el ection aho..ll bo required to turnisl1 c.ny ballot or ballotJ to any per s on deai~i~ t o vote as by t his article authorizeu who is not 1 &.\;­tully entitled to vot e , L~d i r the appli­cant for bullot or ball ots is entitled to receive same, the county clerk or the board of election oocmissioners, if uny , or other offioial ohargea with the auty of furnish­i ng auoh ballo~s icmodi ately upon reo~ipt ot the printed ballots shall oend by r egis­tered mail postage prepaid , or deliver in person an of fi cial ba ll.ot or ballota it more t han one are to be used and voted at said electi on to such a~plio~nt . The otfi­c1ul oh&.rged by law with pr1ntih6 and sup-

Honorable For rest c. Donnell -6- Januury .25 , 1944

plying ballots under the general election l aws ot tnis state, shall , at least thirty d~s before any eleotion helu Under the p~ovisions OL ~nis article , cause to be prlnteu un~ supplieu a sufficient number o1' ballots to be desio,na.tea as ' o.L'ticial absentee ballots' to be turnished such a b­sented voters unuer tho provisions ot tl1ia a.rLiole."

Section 11554, :& . b . }~o . 19J9, rec1uires t he secretary ot ota.t o to certify to ~he county clerks the nurues ot per­sona who uu,tj filed as cu.naidates at loo.Gt 1'1tty-l' ive days before the primary election:

"J\.t least fifty- five dt.ys be1'ore un.y pri­mHXY preceainu a general election, the sec­retary of st~to shall transmit to each county clerk & cer~irieu list containing t llo llbJD. and postottice e.aaress OL' each person who shall have tiled declaration papers in his office , ana'entitled to be votea for at such primary, to~ether with a d sit;)nution of the of:fice tor wl1ich he is a canuinato , anu tne party or p~inciple he represents . "

At f irst slanoe it might appear tnat tue de~ired re­sult could be achioveu by WllendilJ.G tho sections relative to maki nB applioutious ~or ~bsentee oallots and the printing of the oftic1al absente~ ballots, to wake them read rorty­fivo e1ays 1nr.teau. 01.' t ... i.·ty uuys . J{o ovor , if the applica­tion is .uot received until 1.'orty-1'ive ao.ys oe.&.·ore tlle eleo­tion, time would be requi~eu to Dail out the ballot und torty- f ive d.uys \t..>uld noli oe left i'or "tne ballot to .1.•oach the applicant and be ret~~neu . The same thing would be true as to the printiD6 ot bullots, ao the period of time should obviously be ~de l onger .

The question or how muoh time should bo given is a pr~otical lJ.l.oasure with which t.ne writer has .nud l ittle con­t a ot , but t.uu ol d. auage , 11h'b.at ls time ono~h always proves little enough, 11 pro~pts the su~ stion that these seotiona

Honorab4e Forroet v . Donnell -7- January 25 , 1944

should be runended to reau oixty unya insteaa of thirty days. Thts would le,uve 1'i.1.'tedn uays i1 terveni~ bot\ een the time tho ballots ru:o ..~.· o~ttil:eu to be pri11teu WJ.a the forty- five days before the election. '!'he soot1on relatin~ to the mak­i ng of applications could ti..: till earlier ti.w.e .i.'OI' the re­ceiving of applio t.~. t ions, '- nd it JUi~t be \tell il' this were done, as persona in l.u~t1·W.iu , litm Zeola.nd , .... n-1 other dis­tant points could not nic;ely &au e the till.l.~ ol' tne arrival o1' an appl ication.

s uoh b.l&lendmonts would not tully solve the probl em whioh exist s at t he prosent t~e. seotion 11550 , ~·· ~ · . o . 19~9 , fixes t he tinul d~te for the till~ by canaid~tcs ot declara­tions ot 1ntont1on, ~hich is sixty daTS before the pri mary:

"The name or no c~diuato shull be print­ed upon any ottioial bullot ~t ~y pri mary election, unleaa at least sixty days prior to such pri~~y a written declaration ahull hav~ been filed by the candiuate, as pro­video i11 tllis o.rtiole, atatins his full n~e, residence, orfice for which he pro­poses us n candidate, the party upon whoae tickc·t he is to bo a oundid~te, thut it no~natoa una el~otaJ to such office he will quulity, ~na suoh declaration ahnll bo in suostantial1y the t'ollouin.; form: .>!' * • * * "

This section ·ould nlso have to be amondou if the time tor printin::; th absent ee ballots was fixeu at oixty uaya be­fore t he p1•iaary. Fifteen days l·d...,ht be aul~l'icient to inter­vene bet~ieen the olosing or the f111n~ time und the printing of the ballots . This would make t t1e cloain;s date l'or filing seventy-l'ive db.ys beforo the pri ..ary.

Section 11554, I< . s . do . 1g.3g , ahoula u.lso bo amen<led. t o dir~ct t he soc~etar·y o~ state to oertil'y to tho oounty olerks the nameo o1' candidates filed eu.rlier thL.n the l'itty­.f'ive da7s n0\1 required . J s tho general assembly considered five days sufficient t i me oetween the c1osin~ or the t iling aate and tho certifying or tho namss of c~u!aidatea by t he secretary of st to, it io suggest ed that this section be amended to ro~d seventy days instead of lifty- f ivo days .

Honorable ?orros t 0 . ~ormell -a- Ja.nuary 25 , 1~44

I n r oeard t o your s econd· quest ion us to IU.O.iling bal­lots t o el ectors in t he ar~ea services a~ l ~ast forty- t ive days befor e tne genar~ elect i on , uOCtions 1147Q, 11472, ll478a, ll478b and 11478c , supr u , appl y t o beueral elec­t i ons as well a s to primary el ections , ~u t he ~u¢gested ons.nges woula. bu sufficient to acoo..uplish tut> desi red re­sult. How6ver , 3ection 11541, us ~endeu , ~ws ot lg4J , page 566 , roquiros t.he seo.r-atat·y ot s tat6 t o oe1•tity the names of t he nominees t o the ol er Ka of the county oourta not less t han thi r t y days before t no election:

'l .. ot l es s t han thirty days be.fore an oleo­tion to till any public o.ffi ce , the s ecre­tary of 3t at e sh~l oortify to the clerk ot t no county cour t of each county within ' -hi ch c...ny o1' 'tiho el ectors mtlY by l aw v ote tor Cl nuidatos tor such o..Lfioo , t lle ntUnes u.nd 'Che descr iption ol' ouoh person uoulinat ­eo f or such otf1oo , us speoif i ect i n t he cer t ifi cates or uOLlinut i on 1'1l o·d with t he secretary ot state . "

This sect ion would h&ve t o be ~ended to oo~·orm t o the other o.11encwents . • .. a there are .caor e then ninet y d ys i nterveni llv bet \,oen the pri~y el ectlon tm<i tne ~.;eneral elect i on, t hi s section co~lu bo amen4ea to r end sevent y daye i ns t ead or thirty days .

In aa.~J i tion t o \what hta.s be n stti a. , i t l a:s dcsl recl. to call t o your ~ttention s~ction l l 474a , Q. en~otea by t he 62nd Genercl J.ssembly , Laws of 1g~ , page fuO, et seq. The first t hree subsect i ons are quoteJ t or you4 in1or~t1on:

"In l i eu o: t he f oregoinG provisions f or voting nn absentee ba.l l ot any qual i f ied el ector who is absent from the state on military or nuvul ser vioe , und who way on t ho oacurr cnco of nny el ection .Lilent1oned i n section 11470 of tuia ~ct, b ~bsent f rom hi s voti ng pr oi nct b6oause his duties r equi re hi m t o be i thout the S~h~& on t he aay ot such cl otion, U4Y vote un ubs~nt8e ballot by the following procedur e :

Honorable Forrest c. !)onnel l -9- January 25 , 1944

"1. For t he purpose of making appl!oa ­tlon for o.bsontea ballot by suoh o.boant vote1· ur~ i.watioued i n tnis ... ot , the t...ppl1-c ..... tiou by por~t oaru , \d1ioh io prov1J.eC1 tor \.Lllder tho ' t..r J3c.llot .. ct' o.~.. tho 77th Con­t;l·eau , .1. ubl io Lt...w 71~ , ' I. !~ . 7416, nL.o.ll be ~cceivea ~u taken by ~he ~ecrotary of Jt~to u~ an ~pplication to vote the nb­scutee bullot provide~ tor under this .. ~t.

"2. H1th1n t en day after the time tor 1'111n_; ct..no.i a.t!'ies ' ~1'fianvits for noioina ­tion for pri~y election hba expired, and ;1 thin ten uy s b.J.' t er tho per s:> no na vc been nomitlt.~.tcd or elected c..s ot.llaidates tor any 01~ the ofi'icea mentioned. in t hi s Act, 1 t shall be tho uuty 01 tho clerks of the ooun­-cy courts, the bot.U·ds ol' el ection commis­sioners l n 1-r clncts ·1here auoh bourds con­auot ol ootlons , or , in oooe o1' oity , town 01~ vll la&e ulootions wlli oh G.r~ "tOt ~onduoted oy oouras o~ election commissioners , tho oity olerk thereof , t o cortlfy to tho Secretary ot vtatv t.u.e na....tes 0.1 a l l ound.i a.tos "no huve .t.'llo..:~. for uo.ninc.tion or who u .... ve been no~­nateu o.e l.ihe on sa 11uy be . ..,uoh liats ahall bo "''iled lu thu ol'tioe or the !Jeo:et.ary ot ~t~Lo anu ~o~ oleotion purposes ah~l be deeL.led us tuo 'oftici~l el eotion listo ' . he .;Jecrotary of stat e , upon receipt or such

off iolc:,l election lists sh...U.l compile them t.nd o u.uJd .JEll-tO to oe prirlted. in Ji •. uuphlet l'or.u. in su.t .. :ioiont nuubera to .t.eot the a.e­.m.....nc.s ol.' thu suid absent voters . 'l.ttose pwn­phlots Jh~l contain the nauea of the oQndi­u~tea for noillin~tion or election, the ottioe to \.hiuh they uspire, tho county , oi t:r , vil­l~6o vl a iatriot in whJcn they ure cendidates , una ussembleu under t4e names ot the respec• tivc ~ow1ties , cities , Tilla es or aistric t a i u wnich they ure oandiaates . Thi s p~phlct shall ttiso uumo tho po.rty or indepenO.cnt body unaer whi ch such candi~ates u~& to be no~­n~teu 01 elocteu LS the case may bo . A p~­phl et .1.'or t;. .... Oh county and ~.~no City oi' ::>t . Louie ~~ bo ~rinte~ instead ot p~~cing all such

Honora.blo i orJ.'GS'ti C. Dos....a~ll - lv- J~u....ry 2o , 1944

lists in one ~ri~teu pamphlet . s uch p~­phlot ~hell also contain propose~ amend­manto to the Jonstitut ion ot tno utut o or othel' proposi tiona or 'lUections \,hich r.;ay bo sub . .d. .. teu to J. v.Jt. e i n the .;t. .... to at l ur&e .

"...> . :rhe ...Jecretw:y of J t ute upon l'eoc1pt ot ouid lists , shall ~ku requioition upon tho clerk of the county court or each coun­t y and tho city of ~t . Louis , the uoarQa ot cle~tion corx..tist.ionors in l.fi ties ._nd cowJ.tios w:~e.~.·o such bou.L·<ls conuuot elec­tions, or , in c~se ~f city, t o)n or vill g e electlona -•• uioh c....xo not oono.uotea. by bo&rds of election oo~ssioners , th~ city clerk t hereof 1 for an upprOp.L'i t...te nl.l;l;lucr ot reau­l~r b~llot s of said county , preci nct , olty , t o,tn or v illu....,e , who .... .re .. tereby ro.quirod to f ..1rnisn ouid o .... llots 'ttl thout cielny , ~11. the Secretary of Jtate tih 11 use ~~i~ Dallota L.3 'war balloto ' in carrying out the pro­visions of th1& Section ll474a. Juch bal­lots sh,;tll .Provide t or votin.t 1'or electors t o.r roJidont aua Vioo-Presiu nt or t h United States, ~ni~cd ~tat~s an~torc and ,~e)resent-.1tives in Con~ress , all stato ot­fl~er~, county of ficers, city , town und di3trlct officers , as tnc cus e l~Y be , und t o£ votiAJ uno~ any proposed amendment t o tua wt te ~onstitution , or any other propo­sition or -lucstlon \ •.• 11c.n is sub&itteu to a vote in t he 3tuce at larue . l'ne bullots 1'or voting upon ~endmen~s to t ne ~onstitution of t~e State ~d other propositions shall oe sep ...... ·atc fro:.1 ba.llo~s to be usell. tor votins f or 1..he I.LOlu..i.u. ..... tion or election ot ot ticers . Tue b~llots to be used to~ votin~ for tho nomination or election oJ.' ol'fioers J.llall h~v~ printed thereon , unuer ~uo respective tl tlos to t ne orfioes ~o be votea upon , the names of the candidates for FresideAt und Vico- President , Uuitea States ~~nutors, ~nd St(,;lte o.t'l'iccrs wno al~e to be voted upon in tne u~ato ut larbo, ~nd ~uftic i nt blank ~pQoeo sAa~~ bo ~e~t on tho ballots under

Jionorablc Fo.·rc.st G. uonnell -11- J anuary 25 , 1944

.

t he appropriut o t itl e to the rospootive ui3trlot , c~untf , nd locul offio J to be !'lllea by suoh cleotion, which bl unk &J. ..... ll oe us~\,4 by ~uiu voter '\,0 \il.'l "llo ln tne ntllile or nc..:nes of his oiloi ce or u.:..luui­~ut~J Lo Jucn OL Lice . ~ho nawea o! cand1-CJ.i:lt~r.. s.al.dl be printeu. i n oolWII.Ila un<i r tho nw:ue of tho part y or l.u.uopenuent body u.u.ul3r hluh Duo.ll. ounu.l\l.nt.e oee.tts uo..Unu­tion or election, a s the case muy be . Bl ank spaoea s~~l be l oft in each column w1ct.e.t the .ntl.ue of the .warty or independent bou..r -v.nioh hL..cl canuid~tes whos13 names are not !Jl:intod on t.hu bc.llot. hollot o ror votill.$ upoJl ~on:stitutional ame.nd.u"uto und ot~er propo~1t1ons shall contain the otri­ci~l title oL ~ue proposed umenWwent or propo-..ition, l'ollovmo by th6 words: ' ... 'or t.J.e ~:lll~.;nwnent . ' ( ' .lor tHe · l.·oposl tiou ' ) , and ' ..J;o.inst t'"~..e .. iJaenciLo.ent' l ' ._,t.in t th~ .PropooilJ1on') . The &eciet ry of ~tt.te suull cause t o oe prapareu ~n printed an appropriate number of of£1o1~1 c~volopes lor uac in· co~1octlon wi~h ~uoh orfioial war bc.~.llots . J~ach such cnvelopo shull be 0 U.wxu;d , reauy t'or cJealing . Ul)O.tl ou.e ..,.1ue ot such envelo9e shall be priut~u ln suo­Sl#un-vL.lll y t.a~ .t.'ollO\Iing form the foll ow­ing:

O.J.l!01 .L H.L:; B.AJ .. LOT

N'"-" ... :..... 0 .. ""/ OTBR •• • • •• •.••••••••••• ••• •••••• 1\..:...,IDl .q-o_. \ -.~t:reot b.u..t L.U-ber , 1."'' u.ny} ••• •• <.tUU.tfi'Y OJJ' ••• •• ••••• • •••• ~ ••• • •••••••• •• •• Ji.TY or .10 11. • •• •• • ••• •••••••••••• • •• •••••

Lpon tJ.J.e ot.nor sidtl 0.1. t.llO ouvolope shall oo !lrinteu 't.Hb followifib outll :

O .. "..?h v ' L .. CTOA

I ao hereby awear (or ~fir~), th~t l um a cJ. t.izon of tlte United Jtutes und am now ot tiJ.e c or u.t l6bst t~;enty-o.ue years , or will be on t.ha • • • • • • • • ( llttl.'C insert date o~ election ); ~uuv I uuv bceu ~inn oitant

Honorable Forrest c. Donnell -12- J tmuary 2!> , 1944

ot the ::;tato ot J.Ussouri tor • • .. years , next preceding this election and t or ••.••• ~ontha precedin& auch eleotion a resident ot' t ho vounty ot ••••••• • resid­inc at (street and number , if any) , in the City (or Town ) ot •• ••.. •• ••••••• ; tnat I am in active military (or na•al) service ot the Unite4 States and that I have not received or ottered, do not ex­peot to receive, have not paid , offered or promised to pay, contributed, offered or promised to contribute to another, to be paid or used, any money or other thing as a. compensation or re\tard tor the tsiv­ins or the withholding ot a •ote at this eleotion, und have not maae any promise to influence the •• iving or withholding ot any s uch vote; and that I have not been oonvioted of bribery or any infamous crime, or, if so convicted , that ~ have been pardoned or restored to all the ri~hts of a oitizen, uithout restriction as to the rights ot suffrage.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Voter must sign here , and oath • .WtiT B administered tUld attested.

Sub:)oribed o.nd st1orn to before me this •••• day ot •••••••••• 194 •••

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . oommissionod Officer . ..

subsection 3 should be amended to authori ze the early printing of war uallots. Thls section, us it now exists, ~lrects the s ecretary OL s tate to re~ul sltion tro~ the looal off icers. "rc&ular" ballots to be used o.s "war" ballots. \le have official absentee ballots ( Section 11472, R. s . Mo. 19J9) and ortlcial ballots {~eotlon 11595, R. s. o . 1969), but no regular ballots. It may bo the intention was to nave the of­ficial absentee ballots used as vrer ballots, but if this is to be a workable methou of cas ting absentee ballots, follow­i ng Publio Law 712, enacted by the 77th Congr ess, subsection 3 will necessarily nave to be wwended .

Honorable Forrest c. ~onnell January 25 , 1944

The statutory provi sions re~arain~ t he submission ot constitutional ~endments woulQ also need to be amended. Section 11678 ' Ll . 3 . •o . HM9' uS a.Jlend.ed by Laws of l 94J ' pabe 5J7, requir0s the secretary of atote t o certify to t ne clerk or the county oourt of eaoh county q~estions to be auomitted not lees than thirty days before the olection. ~nis section should be amended to conform to the time f or certifying the n mes or no~ineee or candidat es .

The fo.l'egoin~ oonr.tituto tne li13jor changes t hat YJOuld be necessary to achieve tho result suggested in your l etter. The state has a l arge n.u.w.ber of election statutes which ap­pl y only i n cities. and countiea of a speoitied popul ation, and due to tne limitod ti~e ~vailable tnes law~ h~ve not been as o~~efully cuecked for conflicts with the DUb~ested oh~nges ~D they should be. This office will l l adl y continue checking t hese atatutea epplyinh in partioulur ~ities and counties to deter.aine it e.ny of the..u arc in need ot· amend­ment. Howeve~ , 1t m1~ht be ~avisable to contact t u e Tarioua election boards tht.lt ao.mi nister thase laws wilfh th view ot asoert~inin~ such chanves , it ~ny , us ~~ht be necessary.

nOY ioKI'l'T!tiCK Attorney Gener al

f/OJ:HR

Resveot rully submitted

Vi . 0 . J~ ..;~{::>ON Assistant ~ttorney General